Balingkilat, literally the "Mountain of Thunder" in the native aeta language, i would say is one of our country's great mountains.Despite being known for its direct assault and open trail thus direct expose to the sun is a big challenge.In fact being one of the highest within the zambales ridge, it is also relatively straightforward to climb with almost no technical sections. Beware, straightforward does not mean easy – it’s one of the deadliest mountains and an extremely challenging undertaking for mountaineers.
I climbed the Pointed Peak – now designated as Mt. Balingkilat – after typhoon yolanda hits some part of the Philippines.I consider this trip as a climb for a cause for the victims of the typhoon, and these are the notes I made at the time about the experience.
Saturday. 9th November
Victory Bus Terminal going to Olongapo. Sir Jojo and Mam Jackie making it to this trip and joining me with this high altitude self-abuse trek.Our first objectives were to finish the summit @ 9 am then from there we decide whether we push with the traverse to nagsasa or do a backtrail back to cawag.Being prepared is something i dont usually do. :( with all my climbs, and since we expect to start our climb past midnight i literally run out of words for this climb. On our way i keep on checking for my temp since fever hits me last friday and just in time for this trip asthma attacks again.
Upon arrival in Subic chieftain Balosbalos of the cawag community is expecting us and agreed to pick us at Subic Police station after registration. From Subic we took a tricycle and travelled less than 40 minutes going to the jumpoff. Even to there, the going is fairly steep in places. After some reminders from the chieftain and meeting our guide our climb has officially started. After the village it gets steeper and steeper. Early on, there are a couple of level bits – after that, you continuously look forward to the next flat part,(YOU WISH!) then you begin to pray for just a few feet of flatness,(HOPINg!) but it doesn’t happen. It’s not a winding, gradual ascent, it just goes more or less straight up never-endingly in front of your headlight.
From Cawag community to the Kawayanan Area took us 2 hours. When we reached it, we rested for 20 or 30 minutes but I was so drenched in sweat that sitting still meant turning very chilly. After around 1 hour my thighs were screaming with pain and every step was a supreme effort of willpower. At various points I felt alternately faint and tearful not to mention my difficulty for breathing because of my asthma attack. And because of this we need to do several stop overs , thank god jackie and sir jojo is cooperative. Above us,i can see thoundsands of stars – I was still seeing stars when I looked down at the ground. while walking, all of my Friends warnings about watching out for snakes on the path meant nothing now. My only thought was the next step – and the possibility of not giving up at the summit and turning back safely.
I did not get much of a chance to be amazed before we had to start our ascent to the summit.After Kawayanan i can already sense that this hike is really challenging and physically gruelling, it was not surprising that at this altitude my steps were only moving me about a foot at a time. It took me a full hour to get to our next stop.I was glad to have a little break and a snack once at the refuge, but this was a small stop.
It was about 5:45 in the morning when we reach the First Viewdeck,just right in time for our itinerary and the viewdeck gives us a clear view of the trail from kawayanan. It was perfect timing because the sun began to rise so we sat and watched the sunrise for about 30 minutes while I returned back to somewhat normal. I will never forget the beauty of that sunrise and how happy I was to be hiking again. I forgot to mention the weather is good and perfect.From this area we had our breakfast and from this point you can already see a clear picture of the ascent waiting for us going to the summit.
At 7 Am we started the ascend going to the summit , our guide stated that with our pace it would take us 3 more hours going to the peak.Again, the weather was perfect, and this time we had a mountain all to ourselves. The climbing was beautiful, with slope angle and cliff on both sides.This is the kind of climbing I love.Se la vie.
After about 1 hour and a half into the hike i began to feel even more sick.I sucked it up for 5 hours, until i felt like i was going to vomit with my every step. My legs felt like they couldn't move anymore, I was sure I was going to vomit, my head began to feel really dizzy and my vision began to be blurred.By this point the rest of the group had continued on at a faster pace except me. When I started to have these symptoms i insisted that we take a break and this is where is decided to give up my pack, i ask our guide to carry my bag(LOSER!). It sounds crazy but my bags is alot heavier than sir jojo and jackie. After several stop overs and rest I was still determined to make it to the summit. Soon after , We hit the ridge, and ascended, ascended, and ascended. The change in angle on the slope lures you into believing that you are ‘almost there’ but in reality it will take you more steps to the summit. It’s a very steep climb that only gets steeper as you go. The final push from the turn-off to the campsite is especially tiring, but it’s all worth it when you get views like we did. and I have found an inner peace on the mountains that has been life-affecting.Life on mountains is a tough, unsympathetic existence. It is your mind against the conditions. The love and support and my friends / family has helped me more than I can describe. I am truly blessed to have such opportunity of seeing god's work.
9:20 AM we reach the first, false summit or the campsite, the wind is very strong ,good thing that the air turned a crisp colder, so all in all this hike is pretty bearable. from the campsite it will take you roughly 15 more minutes going to the summit. The views from the summit is always stunning, and encompass many of the surrounding mountains, as well as nagsasa, anawangin and silangin coves. We rested a while at the summit together with some french students we meet from the jumpoff. and from the campsite we took our lunch and then after much deliberation I knew what I must do, we decided not to push through with nagsasa traverse because the view of the waves is disturbing from afar.I felt the utmost disappointment , but one thing we should consider first is our safety.A successful nagsasa traverse must wait... for now..
We descended the mountain taking the same path as on the way up.We hiked back down the mountain by 12 noon. It was a slow leisurely hike and some time to enjoy the scenery.
On the tail end of our trip we decided to relax at a beach resort in subic.
I took a last look at the mountain as we drove away. I will be back. Soon.
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